Jack for automobiles and the like



` 1. A.'ADELL.

IACK FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APH. II, 1.921.

vPatelltd 001:. 18, 1921.

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/NvE/v Tb R JoHNAADELL.

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Unirse surges PATENT oFF-lcs.

JOHN A. ADELL, Oli' ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TH ADELL MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, INC., F ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION Ol' KASSA- CHTUSETTS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application led April 11, 1921. Seriallo. 460,204.

To all lwhom it ma concern;y Be it known that JOHN ADELL, a c1t1- zen of the United States, res1d1n'g at Orange,

in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts have invented a new and 'use ful Jack for utomobiles and the like, of whlch the following is a specification.

the su This invention relates vto a jack particularly designed for use in lifting and lowering automobile axles but capable of general use.

The principal objects -of the invention are toI sim lify and im rove the jack wh1ch 1s Eject of the atent No.'1,183,841 to Edward A. Adell, and especially to still further reduce and simplify the pawl motion therefor and the vsheet metal rack, and reduce the number of parts.l

The invention also involves improvements in the details of construction of the various parts of the jack and the comblnations thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings in whichigure 1 is a central vertical section of a preferred form oi the 'jack showing the parts in'position for raisin the rack; l

Fig. 2 is a similar'view s owing the parte in position for lowering the rack;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the handie lowered almost to its lowest position;

Fig. 4i is a sectional view on the line d-fl of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the controlling lever;

llig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 6--3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. Z is a longitudinal central section of the rack..

The invention is shown as embodied in a construction having a main outer casing A and a base B for sn portingl the same. In this casing is a rack having teeth c on one side thereof and provided with a rest'D at the to i'or receiving the axle or other body to be lifted. The details of these parts will be described hereinafter.

through a slot in an enlargement formed on.

the iront of the casing. At its inner end it is provided with a stud l2 to which 1S p1votally connected a paw] 13 for engaging the teeth c of the rack.

This pawl is arranged to move up and down as the lever is oscillated about the stud 10. Almost directly above the stud 12 is a stud 14 mounted on the casin and pivoted thereon is a second awl 15 a so adapted to engage the teeth c These pawls preferably are made of sheet metal stamped out to a trough shape with the fiat or closed side at the rear an'd with an opening through the closed s1de at the bottom. A spring 16 wound around the stud 14 extends at one end through the opening in the rear of the awl 15 and engages the top of the rear wa of said pawl so as normally to hold this pawl against the rack in the position shown for example 1n Fig. 1. The other end of this spring 16 engages the front oi the pawl 13 A and normally forces that toward the teeth a "o,

For the purpose of changing the action of the pawls a heavier spring 20 1s provided located entirely within the casing. This spring 1s wound around the stud 12, being pivoted. loosely thereon and normally has free play' in the casing. 'lhis sprin entends upwardly into a position to engage t e rear of the pawl 15. lthas a bend 21 adapted to engage e. cross pm 22 on the lower pawl i3.

Pivoted on a stud 23 supported in the cesing is a trip lever 24. This is made of a single piece of sheet metal and has an operative integral cross bar 26. When this lever is in turned up to the position 4shown in 2 it Y presses the top of the spring *lori/verd against I the rear of the pawl 15. ln this position it forces the pawl l5 away from the moli., as shown in Fig. 3, when at the top of its stroke.

The operation of the device is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in `Fig. l, the spring -20 as stated is-loose anddoes not adeot the pawls, consequently the s ring 16 is free to force both pawls tower rack with a light pressure. New when the lll@ the lower end of the operating lever moves down to the position shown in Fig. l the spring i6 has forced the end of the pewl 15 in between two of the teeth c thas holding the rack in ment forces it out toward the front and it com'esdown freely until it springs over the bottom of that tooth, which it is tree to do. This entire action is controlled by v the spring 16.

Now upon the upward motion of the lower end of the leverthe pawl 13 of course engages a tooth and moves the whole rack up. During this motion the pawl 15 can do nothing except be forced out by the tooth which it has been engaging and then, when it reaches the bottom of it swing in by the force' of the spring 16. iltv then holds that tooth While the pawl 13 descends as the lever is turned in the opposite direction. During this entire motion the spring 2O moves up and down without performing any function and the entire lifting action is performed by the lower pawl.

Now in order to lower therrack the trip lever 24 is vturned down to the position shown in Fig. 2. rlhe eect of this is to move its cross bar 26 down to engage the lower part of the spring 20 and put it under tension. This forces the upper inclined end of the spring 20 forward and it comes against the rear of the upper pawl 15 when the leve-r handle is lowered (Fig. 3). rlhis moves this pawlresiliently forward away from the rack at the end of the down strokes of the handle.

rlhen the rack is held up simply by the lower pawl 13. lf then the handle is raised, and the inner end of the lever 11 is lowered, the pawl 13 will simply work down carryin the rack with it without affecting the paw 15. When the pawl'13 moves down nearly to the bottom the upper portion of the bend in the spring 20 operates the cross pin 22 to draw the pawl 13 away from the rack. But before this, the upper inclined end of the spring 2() has drawn down out of Contact with the pawl 15 and its spring 16 has forced it against the rack to hold it against further descent at that time.

Upon the rise of the inner end of the Alever 11 the pawl 13 is forced up with it, still out of contact with the rack. When the pawl reaches nearly the top of its stroke the upper inclined end of the spring 2() will engage the bottom surface on the pawl 15 and force that pawl out of engagement with the tooth of the rack. rlhis also releases the spring 20 from the cross pin 22. Thus, by this time, the end of .the pawl 13 has moved in far enough to engage the bottom of a tooth. This occurs at the top of each upward movement or the pawl 13.

Now when the pawl 13 is drawn down, the rack moves down with it at first and the upper pawl l5 gradually approaches the rack while the pawl 13 is moved down, but soon the pawl 13 is forced forward by the action that the pawls work together and cooperate with each other, thus reducing thenumber of parts required even in said Edward A. Adells old construction, and permitting their being mounted at'the front of the rack. In this way the use of the mechanism projecting at the side of the casing and rack is entirely avoided.

l will now describe the construction of the rack. The casing A. consists of a single piece of sheet metal bent up into form by dies and having a seam at which the edges come together, preferably located at the center of the front thereof, that is the side from which the handlelever 11 projects. ln order to hold this together at the bottom the base B is provided also consisting of a single piece of sheet metal having a hole in it for receiving the shank of the casing proper prefer ably as in said patent.

rlhis rack is .also made of a piece of ,sheet metal and its teeth c are made by cutting slits through one Hat surface thereof parallel with each other and bending them in to the form illustrated in F ig. 7. 'lhe main part of the rack C is formed of a piece of sheet metal bent to form the three sides of a four-sided ligure. The other vside is entirely open and as this is the front side it permits the pawls to enter it and be housed within it most or the time, thus economizing in space. The rest D at the 'topA is also shown as made of a piece of sheet metal and is connected with the member C.

With this construction it will be seen that lil@ 'its

the parts are easily made in dies oi' a may Vmanufactured cheaply. The jack is not likely to get out of orderin practice, and takes up very little room in use .and when packed for shipment. lt can be carried around very readily on .account of its light weight. i

- Although l have illustrated and described only a preferred embodiment of my invention and shown it as applied to the construction shown in said patent, ll am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts and that it can be used for other purposes without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

mmes.

Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction shown, or to the particular use mentioned, but what .I dol claim'isz- Vl. In a jack, the combination with a cas-l ing, a rack movable up and down in the casing, and a handle lever for operating the rack, of an operating awl pivoted to the end of said operating ever, a. second pawl pivoted at a stationary point, a single spring coiled around the pivot of the second pawl, each end forcing one of said pawls toward the rack, and a stronger Spring ivotedl on the pivot of the first named paw and' movable with the handle lever lfor pushing the operating pawl from the rack as it descends and allowing the first named spring to move it against the rack as it ascends. v l 2. In a jack, the combination with a casing, a rack4 and an operating lever, of a pawl pivoted to said operating lever, a second pawl pivoted beyond the operating ley ver, yielding means for forcing both pawls toward the rack, a stronger sprlng arranged parallel with the first pawl and movable u and down with the lever for normally hol ing the first pawl back awa from the rack in opposition to said yiel ing means, the second pawl having a surface for engaging the other' end of said stronger spring on' the other side of its pivot when the second pawl `is held in engagement with a rack tooth and allowing the first pawl tofswing into` engagement with the rack without opposition from the stronger spring, said stronger spring extendingpast the operating lever in the casing to a point-on the other side of vthe operating lever, and-a trip lever pivoted to the casing on said other side ofthe op: erating lever and `movable to two positions in one of which it leaves the stronger spring inoperative. Y y

3. In a jack, the combination of a casing, a' rackl slidable up and down in the casing, and an operating lever therefor, with a pawl pivoted to the Qend of the operating leverv in the casing, a second pawl pivoted above said pawl in the casing, yielding means for forcing both of said awls toward the rack, and a spring pivoted freely on the operating leverK in the casing for moving both pawls away from the rack when'it is bein lowered, whereby the upper pawl will ho d the rack and prevent its descending-the distance of more than one tooth.

awl pivoted at alowing it to move against the rack as it again ascends, and means whereby after the lower pawl reaches its topmost` position,

and starts to descend the upper pawl is forced back against the rack but sai-d spring pulls the lowerl pawl away from the rack teeth whereby the rack is held against further descent at that time.

5. In a jack, the combination with a casing, a lrack movable up and down'in the casing, and'a handle lever` for operating the rack, of an operating end of said operating ever and havin a cross pin, a second pawl pivoted at a statlonary point, a spring for forcing the operating pawl toward the rack, and a stronger spring having a bend for engaging the cross pin on the operating pawl and pushing it away from the rack as 1t descends and having an inclined end for engaging the second pawl and releasing the spring from the pin, thus' allowing the first named spring to move the operating pawl against the rack as the pawl reaches the to of its up stroke. l

6. In a jac the combination of a casing, and pawls therein, of a rack which said pawls engage, said rackconsisting of sheet metal bent up into the form of a hollow square column with its` front side open into which open side the pawls project, the rear face of said column bein provided with a plurality df horizontal sllts, the same being bent in to leave flat bottomed teeth with slanting tops.

In testimony whereof I' have hereunto affixed my signature.

' JOHN A. ADELL.

awl pivoted to the 

